What is the cheapest way and easy to paint the trailer?

[Sailmar]

Hello

My trailer is getting a lot of rust, I need to paint it, but my budget is low. What is the easiest way and cheapest one to paint the trailer.

Thanks in advance and regards

Pedro

 

[Sailmar]

Meanwhile, I have been searching and I found two product to apply Hammerite and Vactan, what are the differences?

 

[Kilter]

the former works well in my experience no opinion on the latter

 

[Sailmar]

What preparation do you do to the surface?

 

[hlb]

Hamerite works on nearly anything. Chip off the loose rust and wire brush.

 

[Lakesailor]

Angle grinder and a twisted wire flat brush rips off the old paint.
Primer and a decent enamel gloss. (one sold as Garage Door Enamel is usually robust)

Hammerite seems to have gone from wonder paint to "I wonder why" paint.

 

[Sailmar]

What do you recommend as a primer?

 

[William_H]

Trailer maintenance is a real pain. If like me you have to leave the trailer outside in the rain then the dunking in salt water is onluy part of the problem.
I think the trick is to use a cheap paint and use it often. I also use a lot of old engine oil. Very messy but tends to get into the gaps. It is especially good for springs etc.
If your trialer has closed box section then these need especial care. Yopu need to fill as far as possible the tubes with oil beciase the rust will start from the inside. My trailer had a box section draw bar which parted within 2 years of manufacture but the replacement has lasted another 25 years with the oil treatment.

I recently had half the trailer replaced and the bu**er used box section. It looked lovely welded around each joint until I looked under neath and found gaps in the join to let the water in (and now the oil out). ggrrrrr

Anyway keep lots of paint and slap it on often. A trailer is not a thing you can park and ignore for long periods. (A bit like a boat)

good luck olewill

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

My system for anything in mild steel that is not galvanised is the following:

(1) chip off any flaking rust
(2) go all over the item with a twisted wire brush (power)
(3) apply one coat of rust killer (NOT purple converter) I use one by Trimite; it is colourless. Let it dry. At this stage all the bare metal should be dark grey wherever there was rust; light grey where there wasn't.
(4) rinse off with fresh water and wipe dry with clean rags.
(5) as soon as it is all dry apply one good coat of Galvacoat (Hempel).
(6) the next day apply one coat of marine paint in your favourite colour. I use Hempel's: excellent and inexpensive.

For steps (5) & (6) I use a roller as it is faster and gives a better finish.

I have no commercial connection with any of these brands.

 

[Pasarell]

I agree with Puffthemagicdragon except for 2 points.
Firstly, wash with warm water and detergent then rinse before wire brushing. You need to get rid of as much salt and grease as possible before painting and doing so before cleaning is most effective. Washing after wire brush is really only to remove dust - which still needs doing of course.
Before painting wipe down with solvent and clean rags. White spirit or xylene are better than acetone. This will remove more grease but you have to accept some will remain on a trailer.

 

[Gordonmc]

Here's my two pennyworth, based on experience of working on box-section chassis on Land Rovers etc.
1. Get rid of loose paint and heavy rust with a needle gun. grit-blasting is better if you can get hold of a compressor.
2. Thoroughly degrease as others have said.
3. For primer I found two coats of Finnigans No 1 was the best rust converting primer.
4. Two coats of Hammerite burshed folowed by...
5. Warmed Waxoil sprayed into box sections. If neccessary turn the trailer on its side and pour the Waxoil in.
Remember box section mild steel will rust from the inside out irrespective of how much paint is on the outside.

 

[flyingscampi]

POR-15 is very good, better than Hammerite imho. You degrease the surface with Marine Clean, prepare with Metal Ready and then apply 2-3 coats of POR-15.

You can get it at http://www.holden.co.uk

 

[Saddletramp]

[ QUOTE ]


Hammerite seems to have gone from wonder paint to "I wonder why" paint.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. I keep buying the stuff based on a gate I painted about 15 years ago. It lasted really well on that gate but recently it does not seem half as good.

I must go back to my old house and see how that gate is getting on. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[2Tizwoz]

Those were the days!

Then trichloroethylene was banned in case it damaged the environment.

 

[Sailmar]

Thank you all, for the excelllent answers

 

[GART]

I used bituminous paint on mine, it is very cheap, will not chip off, and adheres to oil or grease covered metal. The un-galvanised trailer lasted over 20 years. I did put oil in the box sections as previous posts.